February 1, 2002 Celebrating area's vast, fascinating heritage

Even though it’s the middle of winter, celebrating our area’s vast and fascinating heritage is not hibernating. Not only is February Heritage month, but Feb. 18 to 22 is Heritage Week, and Feb. 18 is Heritage Day across Ontario. It’s a great time to work on your family or community history. 

The community of Field, for example, is celebrating its 100 anniversary and has an exciting calendar of events outlined for the year. The Ontario school curriculum provides many opportunities to study local heritage during February. 

The North Bay Area Museum 

They will also examine artifacts from the museum’s collection and bring in their own items to share with others. 

On the question of sharing, the museum has a scanning day where individuals can bring in interesting historical photographs and have them scanned for the museum collection. 

This special scanning day is Feb. 20 and participants get free admission to the museum. 

The museum also has a special family Saturday Feb. 16 from noon to 4 p.m., where the history of sport in North Bay will be featured. 

The museum is also continuing its successful After-School program for four-to-nine-year-olds, beginning Feb. 4 with some new themes added. 

The program takes place Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at the museum. Individual days or the full program can be chosen. On Heritage Day, Feb. 18 for example, the theme is airplanes where the history of airplanes, our airport, etc., will be discussed, as well as an opportunity for each child to build a model airplane. For more information call 474-2323. 

Black History Month 

The pre-judging of blacks, as with aboriginals and other ethnic groups, has changed radically as Canada is becoming a more sensitive multi-cultural nation. 

Blacks have now succeeded in every walk of life, including Members of Parliament, sports and every profession. Lincoln Alexander, the former MP for Hamilton, became the first black Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. 

Locally, Mattawa’s Dr. Monestine was the mayor from 1958 to 1978. 

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Bryan Walls from Windsor, the first black president of the Ontario Historical Society. 

He is a fifth generation descendant of slaves that came to Ontario, along with many others, via the Underground Railway to escape slavery. TV Ontario recently featured a film, The Road to Freedom in Southwestern Ontario, on the many museums, sites and artifacts that have been preserved in Essex county. 

The Black History Society of Ontario lists dozens of books on its website, including Dr. Wall’s book, The Road that Led to Somewhere (available from Proverbs Heritage Organization: 1307 Pelisser St., Windsor, Ont. N8X 1M4). I recently spoke with Sylvia Smith of Powassan who lived for decades across the street from the Walls in Windsor, where her children grew up with the Walls. 

She told of how highly educated and successful the family was, including Bryan, a dentist, and his brother a medical doctor. Their well known father, after a long battle, became the first black member of the prestigious Essex Golf Club. 

In 2001 a remarkable cross border event took place, where two statues ($1.1 million) commemorating the Underground Railway were unveiled in Windsor’s Civic Esplanade and in Detroit’s Hart Plaza. The monument is inscribed Keeping the flame of freedom alive. 

Heritage Tourism 

Locally the repair and restoration work on the CPR Train Station on North Bay’s waterfront is the sign of an exciting expansion of local heritage. 

When the building is complete the woodwork will be painted in its original red ochre and cream colours, and will have interactive exhibits with a transportation theme. 

February is a good time to reflect on out heritage and make plans to enjoy it more.